Track constructions for monobeam type railways



K. DELLER July 25, I961 TRACK CONSTRUCTIONS FOR MONOBEAM TYPE RAILWAYSFiled March 30, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 R m N E M BY W 2 ATTORNEY July 25,1961 K. DELLER 2,993,647

TRACK CONSTRUCTIONS FOR MONOBEAM TYPE RAILWAYS Filed March 30, 1959 3Sheets-Sheet 2 1% 1 4 I 56 m I ,1

INVENTOR /%M?Ao Jame BY iMW M ATTORNEYS July 25, 1961 DELLER 2,993,647

TRACK CONSTRUCTIONS FOR MONOBEAM TYPE RAILWAYS Filed March 50, 1959 5Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR 46M? flame BY I ATTORNEY5 United States Patent2,993,647 TRACK CONSTRUCTIONS FOR MONOBEAM TYPE RAILWAYS Konrad Deller,Koln-Deutz, Germany, assignor to Alweg-Forschung G.m.b.H.-Koln, Koln,Germany, a

corporation of Germany Filed Mar. 30, 1959, Ser. No. 802,788 7 Claims.(Cl. 238-122) The present invention relates to track constructions andmore particularly to switch constructions for railway systems of themonobeam type. In such systems the track comprises relatively heavy beammembers which are preferably substantially rectangular and which havetop and side running surfaces, the former supporting the load carryingvehicle wheels and the latter engaging upper and lower lateral vehiclewheels which guide the vehicle and transfer tilting forces to the beam.Preferably the track beam is made of reinforced concrete structure.

'Discontinuities occur at various points along the length of themonobeam tracks in such systems, i.e. at the spaces which must beprovided between the ends of certain of the track sections toaccommodate thermal expansion. Such discontinuities also appear at theends of shiftable bridge sections and where movable switch sections jointhe fixed main track sections. These discontinuities have in the pastproduced gaps in the top and side running surfaces on the beams whichinturn impose lateral and vertical shocks on the vehicle passing over thetrack and reduce the speed at which the vehicles can travel safely andsmoothly along the tracks.

It is the primary purpose and object of the present invention to provideimproved track constructions particularly switch constructions formonobeam type railways I with novel means for bridging gaps anddiscontinuities in the track sections to permit the passage of vehiclesalong the tracks without lateral or vertical shocks.

It is also an important object of the present invention to provideimproved switch constructions incorporating means for bridging the gapsat the ends of the movable switch tongues without impeding lateralmovement of the switch tongue.

In attaining these objects and other objects, the invention contemplatesthe provision of novel track constructions in which the ends of thetracks are provided with finger plates having fingers of trapezoidalcross-section, the upper surfaces of both finger plates normally beingflush with the upper surface of the track and one finger plate beingarranged for vertical swinging movement about the horizontal axis toclear the other fingers to permit relative lateral movement of the tracksections.

In accordance with the present invention novel means are provided foroperating the vertically swingable finger plate so that it isautomatically moved out of interfering relation with a mating part topermit the lateral swinging movement of a switch tongue on which it isinstalled and to restore it automatically to its flush position at thecompletion of the swinging movement of the switch tongue.

The gaps in the side surfaces of the track preferably are bridged byintermeshing finger plates which are rigidly secured to the respectiveends of the switch tongue and the adjacent track beam and are formed insuch a manner that during operation of the switch tongue the fingers ofthe finger plates pass freely through the space between the fingers ofthe corresponding members on the end of the adjacent track section.

Additional objects and advantages will become apparent as thedescription proceeds in connection with the accompanying drawings inwhich:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a por- CG I tion of amonobeam switch constructed in accordance with the present invention andshowing the ends of the main line track beam and the branch line and aportion of the movable switch tongue;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of a portion of the structure shown inFIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a transverse section taken along line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical section taken along line 4-4 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a section similar to FIGURE 4 illustrating a modifiedconstruction;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary transverse section taken along line 6-6 ofFIGURE 5; and

FIGURE 7 is a section similar to FIGURE 6 but showing the parts inrelatively shifted position.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings and especially to FIGURE1, the portion of the switch thereshown comprises a substantiallyrectangular main track beam 10 and a similar rectangular branch trackbeam 12 which are alternately connectable to a third main track section(not shown) by a laterally movable switch beam tongue 14. The switchtongue per se and its drive mechanism do not form a part of thisinvention and may be of a construction as disclosed in copendingapplication Serial No. 569,855, now Patent No. 2,903,972 dated Sept. 15,1959, or 751,653 to which reference may be had for details ofconstruction. Between the abutting ends of the switch tongue 14 and thetrack beams 10 and 12, a small gap 16 is provided to accommodate thermalexpansion and to avoid jamming of the switch tongue during operation.The top running surface 18 of the track beams 10 and 12 and the switchtongue 14 is bridged at the gap 16 by intermeshing finger plates 24 and26. Finger plate 24' is rigidly secured to the beam 10 as shown indetail in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4 and the finger plate 26 is connected to theswitch tongue 14 as shown in detail in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4. The end ofthe branch line 12' carries a finger plate 25 corresponding to fingerplate 24 for the beam 10. V

The side running surfaces 20 and 22 of the beam sections are alsobridged by corresponding finger plates 28 and 30 rigidly secured toopposite sides of the beam 10 and by similar finger plates secured tothe opposite sides of the beam 12. Intermeshing finger plates 32 and 34,rigidly secured to the sides of the end of the switch tongue 14,complete the bridging construction. The fingers of all of the sidefinger plates are rectangular in cross-section to permit their freerelative horizontal movement.

Referring now especially to FIGURES 2, 3 and 4, the finger plate 24 issecured by screws 42 to an angular support plate 40 embedded in the endof beam 10. Finger plate 26 is secured to a support plate 44 rigid withthe end of switch tongue 44 by means of a hinge joint 46 which permitsmovement of the finger plate 26 about a transverse horizontal axis.

As best shown in FIGURE 3, the lateral edges 53 of the fingers 50 on thefinger plate 24 and the lateral edges 54 of the fingers 52 on the fingerplate 26 are inclined. The inclination of the lateral edges of therespective fingers is sufiicient so that when the switch tongue carryingthe finger plate 26 is moved laterally with respect to the beam 10, thefingers 52 will be carnmed upwardly and will smoothly and freely leavethe recesses between the fingers 50. To reduce wear the inclined sidesurfaces 53 and 54 of the fingers are preferably hardened. When theswitch tongue is moved laterally the width of one finger, the fingers ofthe plate 26 again fall freely between the fingers of the plate 24. Thisreturn movement is assisted by a tension spring 58 acting at the lowerend of a lever 60 rigidly connected to the hinged end of the fingerplate 26. A strip 56 and an abutment 62 hold aoaaew the finger plate 26in a substantially horizontal position when, during the operation of theswitch, it is in a positron between the beams and 12. When the switchtongue approaches the beam 12, the inclined side surfaces 54 of thefingers 52 of the plate 26 engage the corresponding inclined surfaces ofthe fingers of plate 25 to cam the former smoothly upwardly in themanner described above. It is to be noted that the spring also normallyholds the finger plate 26 against the stop 56 to prevent inadvertentlifting of the finger plate 26.

FIGURES 5, 6 and 7, to which detailed reference will now be made,disclose a slightly modified form of the invention. In this constructioncontrol cams 64 and 65 are formed integrally with the finger plate 26and project downwardly therefrom adjacent the opposite edges of thefinger plate. Guide ledges 66 are supported on consoles 68 rigidlysecured to the end of the beams 10 and 12, respectively, beneath thecams 64 and 65. The lateral surfaces of the control cam 64 and the guideledge 66 are inclined in the same manner as the side surfaces of thefingers 50 and 52. Accordingly, when the switch tongue 14 is movedlaterally with respect to the beams 10 or 12, the finger plate is cammedupwardly by the action of the cams 64 or 65 and the inclined edges ofthe fingers 50 and 52 and is held in the raised position shown in FIGURE7 until the trailing cam 64 or 65 moves off the opposite end of theledge 66. Thus the fingers of the plate 26 are prevented from fallinginto the gaps between the fingers of the finger plates 24 or 25 duringlateral movement of the switch tongue 14.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departingfrom the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The presentembodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects asillustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention beingindicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoingdescription, and all changes which come within the meaning and range ofequivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States LettersPatent is:

1. Apparatus for bridging the gap between adjacent ends of first andsecond monobeam track sections having top and side running surfacescomprising means providing a first set of fingers projecting from thetop running surface at one end of said first track section toward thetop running surface of the adjacent end of said second track section,means providing a second set of fingers projecting from the top runningsurface at the end of said second beam toward the top running surface atthe adjacent end of said first beam, said second set of fingers beingmounted for swinging movement about a horizontal axis, said first andsecond fingers being meshed when said track sections are aligned to formcontinuations of said top running surfaces, and means for camming saidsecond set of fingers out of the plane of said first set of fingers uponrelative lateral movement of said track sections.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said last- 4 mentioned meansincludes camming surfaces formed on each of said fingers.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said lastmentioned meansincludes a cam rigid with one end of said first beam and cam followersrigid with said second set of fingers.

4. Apparatus for bridging the gap between adjacent ends of a fixedmonobeam track section and a switch tongue track section laterallymovable with respect to said fixed track section comprising, said tracksections having top and side running surfaces, a first finger platesubstantially flush with said top running surface of said fixed tracksection and having fingers projecting toward the adjacent end of saidswitch tongue track section, a second finger plate substantially flushwith said toprunning surface of said switch tongue track section andhaving fingers projecting toward the adjacent end of said fixed tracksection, means mounting one of said finger plates for pivotal movementabout a substantially horizontal axis, and means for automaticallyswinging said one of said finger plates about its pivotal axis uponrelative lateral shifting movement of said switch tongue track sectionwith respect to said fixed track section.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said fingers aresubstantially trapezoidal in cross-section and said last mentioned meanscomprises the inclined side surfaces of said fingers.

6. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said lastmentioned meansincludes cam followers rigid with the pivotally mounted finger plate anda cooperating cam rigid with said fixed track section.

7. Apparatus for bridging the gap between the adjacent ends of a fixedmonobeam track section and a movable switch tongue track section, saidtrack sections being of substantially rectangular section and having topand side running surfaces comprising a first finger plate flush with thetop surface of said fixed track section and having fingers projectingtoward the adjacent end of said switch tongue track section, a secondfinger plate carried by said switch tongue track section and havingfingers projecting toward the adjacent end of said fixed track section,means mounting said second finger plate on said switch tongue sectionfor pivotal swinging movement about a substantially horizontal axis,means for camming said second finger plate out of the plane of saidfirst finger plate upon relative lateral shifting movement of saidswitch tongue track section with respect to said fixed track section,and additional sets of intermeshing fingers mounted on the respectiveside surfaces of said fixed track section and said switch tongue sectionand substantially flush with the side running surfaces thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS848,681 Newton Apr. 2, 1907 981,273 Jacobs Jan. 10, 1911 1,471,490 KrumpOct. 23, 1923 2,903,972 Schutze Sept. 15, 1959

